Foot-operable attachment for valved wind instruments



Sept. 19, 1944. w. H. STRANE 2,358,605

FOOT-OPENABLE ATTACHMENT AFOR VALVED WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed July 6, 1943 fwn/wrox? Patented Sept. 19, 1944 FOOT-OPERABLE ATTACHMENT FOR VALVED WIND INSTRUMENTS.

Wiley H. Strane, Oakland, Calif.

Application July 6, 1943, Serial No. 493,659

8 Claims.

This invention, a foot-operated attachment for wind instruments is designed specifically for valve-controlled instruments, such as cornets, trumpets, key trombones, altos, basses, and french horns, and as illustrated is applied to a trumpet. This invention makes possible the playing of such instruments by those who have lost the use of their hands for operating the valves for playing the instruments, with operation being conducted by the feet of the player.

As is well known, there are many who would greatly enjoy being able to play such instruments if it was not for the handicap of being unable to operate the valves, and this attachment makes it possible for a group of such handicapped persons to actually form a band or orchestra, and those who are not physically handicapped can easily play two instruments at a time, as one of the valve instruments such as a trumpet by their feet and a guitar, banjo or even a piano by hand.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide a foot-operable attachment for valved wind instruments by which the valves can be manipulated by the feet of the player,

Second, to provide an attachment as outlined which is simple in construction and operation and with which a wind instrument can be played by persons who have lost the use of their hands.

Third, to provide an attachment as outlined with supporting means for the instrument so that anyone desiring to and having no hands or not having the use lof either hand will be able to play the instrument supported.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read on the drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional elevation through the invention and conforming to aline I-I of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and shows the treadle arrangement for a wind instrument with three valves.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing one type of pulley arrangement for the operative connection between the valves and the foot treadles.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of one of the valves shown partly in section to illustrate the attachment of the operative connection to the valve.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of a modied form of operative connection applied to the valves of cornets and similar instruments, and particularly suited for French horns as indicated by the dotted extension.

The support or stand is attractively designed and includes a back wall I0, side walls I I, a base I2, and a head I3 to support the instrument I4, with the height such as to locate the mouthpiece I5 at proper and convenient height, the instrument being attached to the head by suitable securing means, such as the clamp I6. Suitable adjusting means is provided for varying the relative elevation of the mouthpiece I5 and is illustrated in its simplest form as comprising screws II adjustable through the base I2 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and being only one of the many ways in which this adjustment can be provided for. As is perfectly clear, by advancing the screws in the front of the base, the front of the frame is raised and tilted backward, thus elevating the mouthpiece, while those in the rear will tilt the frame forward and thus swing the mouthpiece to a lower level.

The valve of a wind instrument consists of a cylinder I8 having a cap at each end, respectively I 9 and 20, a plunger 2| with the conventional bypasses not shown because they are well known in the art, a valve rod 22 attached to the plunger and operating through a passage in the cap I9 and having a valve button 23 mounted thereon. The types of instruments previously mentioned have three of these valves and consequently three buttons 23, 24 and 25, and a compression spring 26 is located between the bottom of the plunger and thecap 20 to normally keep the plunger in its uppermost position; Suitable air relief passages 21 and 28 are formed through the bottom of the plunger and the cap 20, and in the event that they are not existent in the instrument, they are formed for the specific purpose to which they are adapted for this invention.

Foot pedals 29, 30 and 3| are provided, one for each valve, and are hinged at 32 and are made of suitable width so that they can be depressed individually and are suiiiciently closely spaced so that two pedals can be depressed simultaneously with one foot, because in playing such instruments it will be necessary to operate the valves separately, any two, or all three at a time.

Each pedal has means for normally retaining it in a raised position, and means for limiting raising and depressive movements, and is s-hown as consisting of an ear 33 on each pedal, a socket 34 mounted on the base I2 and having an axial passage 35 and a diametric slot 36, a plunger 31 having one end pivoted in the ear 33 at 38, and a compression spring 39 between the ear 33 and the top of the socket 34, with a pin 40 passing through the other end of the plunger 31 and operating in the slot 36.

'I'hus the spring 39 urges the pedal to its uppermost position while the pin 40 limits the upward movement, and also limits the downward movement when the pedal is depressed. The Vsocket 34 is preferably formed of live rubber, under which conditions operation of the pedals will be noiseless. Aheel plate 4I is provided as a rest and positioning means for the players feet.

The operative connection between the valves and the pedals is illustrated as consisting of ilexible elements such as wires or cords 6.2, 43 and Ml which pass about sheaves mounted in any suitable arrangement and form connections between the respective pedals and the respective valves, with one end of each cord attached to the respective pedals as indicated at A and the other end attached to the respective plungers as indicated vat 46 'through a link H'Whichis Secured through the .passage 2l Vin the bottom of the plunger fand I'with 'the cord :passing through 'the hole 2li fin the bottom cap. f v

The-"sheave arrangement is shown lin its simplest fcrm, `in 'which the grooves 'of the rspec'- tiveshe'aves d8, '49 and 5t are in axial alignment Withthe V'p-ll'i'ngers of tha-'respective valves with -th'e `central sheav'e Z55 inline with the aXis ofthe instrument andthe l"other sheaves 48 'and '15B beiii-'g'o'tipos'itely angulrili'r related vto lead "the respective 'cords over 'the respective Isheaves 5I, 52 and 53 the grooves 'of which are in vertical valign- 'ment with the points of connection 45 on the respective pedals, with thecord e2 passing about vthe sheaves 238 and 52 to pedal cord 43 passing about sheaves 49 andfl'al to pedal 30, andcord '44 passing 'about sheaves 5S and 53 to pedal 3|,'to place the pedals in the same sequence as the valves. Y

Obviously other types of operative connections could be' substituted, however, the one shown is preferred because of its quiet operation in comparison to any type of gear, link or lever mechanism which might be substituted.

The modication illustrated in Fig. 5 is shown in solid lines as applied 'to the same type of instrument illustrated in Fig. l, with extensions shown in dotted lines to illustrate how easily it is adapted to French horns and similar lever operated instruments. The :arrangement is the-same as previously described Vwith 4the exception that instead oi attaching the co'rd directly to the plunger, it isinstead fastened at 54 to a lever 55 whichis pivoted at one end at 56 to the head of the support, with the other end 51 resting on the valve button A spring '58 raises the lever to its normal position withAthe upward movement limited by a link 5S which is hinged in the lever at *Sil and passes through a hole 6l in a cross member 52, with the end of the link bent over as indicated -at 63 `to `form a stop.

To adapt this larrangement for French horns, Vthe lever litis extended as indicated by the dotted extension ed to operate the valve leve'r'65 on the instrument.

Irrespective of the arrangement used, the instrument is played by depressing the respective pedals, which, as will be noted, agree in sequence with the valves.

Since the hands are not required for operating the valves, another type of instrument, such as a mandolin, `guitar, banjo, or even a piano can be played at Vthe same, time bythe same person'if,

in the case of a piano the invention is made to nt about the piano in some manner similar to the arrangement disclosed in my Patent Number 2,241,750, issued May 13, 1941, but with the several pedals to control the several valves, and with a single operative connection for each valve instead of the double operative connection shown in that patent.

It will be understood that variations `in construction -and arrangement of parts, which variations are consistent with the appended claims may be resorted to without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacricing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

-1. An attachment comprising; a frame having a base and an upright portion integral therewith and means for securing a musical wind instrument having three valves and operating means therefor and a mouthpiece at the upper end of 'said upright portion; a series of three pedals mounted at one of their ends on a common pivotsupported on said base :and in 'parallel and with 'the sides of the pedals 'in close relation ffoi' individual or "simultaneous operation by either foot of 'an operator, and lifting ine'ans associated with said base and eachpedalfor urging the respective pedals to' a` raised position and including stop means 'for limiting the raising and depressive movements of each p'd'al; a series-'f sheaves mounted in said upright portion "for each valve; and three ''exible elements respectively "hav-ing one 'end connected tothe respec'tive'pedals, operating about the respective series of sheaves, and

having the other end Vconrie'ct'able to Vthe respective operating meansfor Ythe valves` 2. A structure as defined in 'claim lg`ad'jufsting means comprising Athreaded members manually adjustable respectively vinthe iront en'd and the rear end of said base for uiting said frame ferward 'orba'ckward at Vwill to adjust lthe relative height of the mouthpiece of the instrument.

3. An attachment comprising; a support -having =a base andan upright portion integral therewith and means for supporting "a three-valve musical wind instrument at the upper end thereof in manual playing position; a series `of three foot pedals having each one end pivoted lon a common pivot supported on said base and in vparallel and vin `close relation for individual or simultaneous operation at will, and three structural couplings respectively -having one 'end con'- nected to the other ends of the respective pedals, and the other end connectable for operation of the respective valvs of the instrument, and means cooperating between said baseand the respective pedals for urging said pedals to a raised position, and stop means associated with said means cooperating for limiting the raising and depressive vmovements ofthe pedals to a degree in con- 'formity with the 'required movements of the valves. Y

4. A structure 'as' de''ned in claim 3V; said upright portion consisting of side walls-and Ya frontV wall extending upwardly from said base to -form a concealing cabinet, and having means adjustable in the forward and rearward ends of said base for tilting the attachment to raise or lower the mouthpiece of an instrument mounted at said upper end to convenient manual playing position.

5. A structure as dened in claim 3; said upright portion consisting of side wams and a from wall extending upwardly from said base to form a concealing shield; said structural couplingsk consisting each of a series of sheaves pivotally mounted between said side walls and a flexible element operating about said series of sheaves and with one end connected to the other end of the foot pedal, and the other end connectable for operation of one of the valves of a musical instrument mounted at the upper end and between the side walls.

6. A structure as defined in claim 3; three levers each pivotally mounted at one end on said upright portion and with the other end cooperatively associable with the valve operating means of a musical instrument mounted at said upper end, and With the said other end of the respective structural couplings connected to the respective levers, whereby operation of the foot pedals will operate the valves of a musical wind instrument mounted at the upper end of the upright portion.

7. An attachment comprising; a cabinet having a base and a concealing cabinet having side Walls and a front wall extending upwardly from safd base, and means for securing a three-valve musical wind instrument at the upper end thereof and between said sides; a series of three foot pedals in parallel and in close relation for individual or simultaneous operation and having one end pivotally mounted on said base and means for urging each pedal to a raised position and means included for limiting the degree of raising and depression of said pedals; three angularly related sheaves pivotally mounted between said side walls in spaced relation above the other ends of the respective pedals; three sheaves having their axes parallel and spaced from said angularly related sheaves and with their peripheral grooves alignable with valve operating means for a musical wind instrument mounted at said upper end, and a flexible connection for each pedal and having one end connected to the other end of the pedal and operating about one of the three angularly related sheaves and one of the said three sheaves with the other end associable with the valve operating means of the instrument.

8. A structure as defined in claim 7; the other end associable with the valve operating means consisting of a lever associable with each valve operating means of the instrument and pivotally mounted on one side wall` at one end and with the other end urged to a non-associable position and with the other end of the flexible connection connected thereto, whereby depression of a foot pedal will operate a lever to operate a valve of the instrument.

WILEY H. STRANE. 

